Box Score
DAVENPORT, Fla. – A 4-0 lead in the eighth inning slipped away for Saint John's in a 5-4 loss to Wisconsin-La Crosse on Wednesday, March 18.
Junior
Hunter Hoen (Belle Plaine, Minn.) held the Eagles (3-3 overall) to two hits through the first seven innings, but a four-pitch walk and a single in the bottom of the eighth inning ended his evening.
UWL's Brady Lash followed with a two-run double off senior
Jack Dobesh (Edina, Minn.), who made his fourth-straight appearance of the trip, and moved to third on a groundout. Another groundout brought in Lash to make it a one-run game, 4-3, and back-to-back doubles with two outs tied it. Sophomore
Ben Rudser (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) relieved Dobesh and recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
The Johnnies (6-4 overall) went 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth inning and the Eagles continued their momentum into the bottom half of the frame. The leadoff hitter, Chris Calico, singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. The next batter was hit by a pitch before Lash helped his own cause with a walk-off, RBI double.
SJU gained an early 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the first inning. Junior second baseman
Alex Matchey (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) singled with one out and moved to second on a throwing error. Senior third baseman
Reed Marquardt (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes) followed with a single of his own before a passed ball brought Matchey in with two outs.
Junior designated hitter
Zach Helfmann (St. Louis Park, Minn.) made it 2-0 with his third home run of the season (11th of his career) with two outs in the seventh inning.
Junior center fielder
Riley Schwellenbach (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge) and freshman shortstop
Will Koeppen (Minnetonka, Minn.) singled to start the eighth inning. The threat looked to be extinguished following a pop up and fielder's choice, but junior first baseman
Justin Brooks (Champlin, Minn./Champlin Park) and senior right fielder
Brendan Hemr (Blaine, Minn./Centennial) smacked RBI singles for a 4-0 lead.
Hoen allowed two runs on three hits with seven strikeouts (to three walks) in seven innings for the no-decision. Dobesh was tagged with two runs on three hits in 0.2 innings, while Rudser took the loss.
Brooks and Helfmann both went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Johnnies' bats.
SJU plays a doubleheader against Rutgers-Camden (6-5 overall) at 3:30 p.m. ET Thursday, March 19, in Winter Haven, Fla.
